Nunch’i

02/20/2024

    When we start a new class we are exacted about how this class will be go in the how semester or unit. However, it is important that in a classroom for ESL students we can face with different cultures and behaviors, so that it is essential to keep the eye open and read what our students wants to transmits with not verbal communication. Basically this is what  nunch’i means, according to Martin and his colleagues (1967) define the nominative usage of nunch’i as "tact, savoir faire, sense, social sense, perceptiveness, an eye for social situations” In this case we need to be preventive and intuitive at the time we look at our students, we can service if they are willing to participate actively or passively. Since we can also notice when a student would like to participate without being ask to do it.

    On the other hand when we want to learn about nunch’i we need to take into account four cultural concepts in East Korea: Dualism of the Tao, hierarchical social relations, face, and kibun. If we refer to dualism of the Tao, we need to take into account that this can have pro and cons, since on one side we can prevent students to behave in one way, one the other side students may predict how a professor may act in a specific situation. As example, if a teacher asks if they have more questions students are expecting no to continue with the topic by saying not, eventough they have some questions. Also we have hierarchical social relation, in this case we need to know that in every relationship there may be a hierarchical order that based on the culture or areas it can vary. According to Yum (1987b) has indicated that the teacher should receive "respect and gratitude" and the student should be given "knowledge and help" (p. 95) Since other culture the relationship between students and teacher cannot be as mirror, because some students may feel as the teacher is there just to share knowledge and no to exchange ideas. Finally we have Face and Kidun, that Kidun refers to mood and feelings, in this case the way we face every situation counts at the time we need to know that feeling may count as no verbal way when we participate.

    To continue, there are three rules that East Asian students put in practice when they are taking turns. The first rules is based on eyes contact, since in East Asia this can mean that the professor have identify that an students is ready to share an answer. However, in America, this can mean that the student was paying attention, but does not have an answer ready. As we can see this is not verbal communication in the classroom. The second rule is based on body movement. This can be by raising the chin or head that a student can indicate that they know the answer when we ask a questions. The third rule refers when a student tries to avoid participating in the class when a questions is asked, this means that by non-verbal communication they show that they are not ready to ask a question, it can be by bowing their heads, eye blinking or shacking their head.

    As we can see, it is essential to know how to read non – verbal signs that our students show in the class, since based on this we can identify if they are ready to participate or not.